Conceptual Framework

The Cornell College Teacher Education Program (TEP) emphasizes scholarship, teaching, and service through active learning and a demonstrated commitment to the liberal arts. We believe that good teaching requires strong pedagogical content knowledge that combines the “how” of teaching with the “what” of teaching through inquiry, reflection, and pedagogical reasoning. We expect aspiring teachers in our program to engage in meaningful dialogue, artful expression, and critical thinking in ways that promote an ethic of care and democratic ideals. 

The TEP offers students a unique opportunity to prepare for a career in elementary and/or secondary school teaching in our one-course-at-a-time model. Building upon a strong academic major or concentration, our future educators encounter a carefully designed curriculum that emphasizes the historical, philosophical, ethical, legal, psychological, and pedagogical dimensions of teaching and learning. In keeping with the mission statement of the college, the TEP is genuinely committed to promoting and defending liberal learning and democratic values. All aspiring teacher candidates are expected to think carefully about their work, to actively engage their minds so as to reflect and evaluate their teaching, and to develop a genuine sense of creativity and inquiry that will guide their personal and professional lives. The aims of the TEP are aligned with Cornell College’s nine Educational Priorities and Outcomes. It is the fulfillment of these outcomes that provides our students the underlying skills and knowledge they need to apply theory to practice and thereby achieve success as professional educators.

Cornell College Teacher Education Program Educational Priorities and Outcomes

Knowledge

Teachers need to integrate and apply knowledge from a focused area of study as well as a broad general education which includes disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. A teacher’s knowledge of subject matter within and across the disciplines allows for accessible and meaningful learning experiences.

Inquiry

Teachers need to respond to the complexities of contemporary and enduring problems using information literacy tools, research skills, creative thinking and analysis. A teacher’s understanding of the tools for inquiry within the discipline they teach is fundamental to their ability to support students’ intellectual growth. 

Reasoning

Teachers need to evaluate evidence, interpret data, and use logical, mathematical, and statistical problem-solving tools. A teacher’s ability to use qualitative and quantitative reasoning skills is essential to assessing student learning and making plans for student success; as well as to guide students in their own ability to reason.

Communication

Teachers need to speak and write clearly, listen and read actively, and engage with others in productive dialogue. Modeling good communication skills with students and the broader educational community includes an attention to differences in communication approaches and allows teachers to be better facilitators of positive learning environments. 

Intercultural Literacy

Teachers need to connect with diverse ideas and with students, families, and community members whose experiences differ from their own. This includes building a curriculum that is inclusive and creating a learning environment that is responsive to diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.

Ethical Behavior

Teachers need to recognize personal, academic, and professional standards and to act with integrity. Students in our program will use the Model Core of Ethics for Educators as a guide for ethical decision making and will uphold the principles of our profession. 

Citizenship

Teachers will collaborate with others and contribute to their learning communities and the larger world. Teachers endeavor to support a productive learning environment within their classrooms and beyond by modeling collegiality, engaging in lifelong learning, and establishing sustaining partnerships with families and communities.

Vocation

Teachers discover and prepare for the range of opportunities and challenges that await them in their future classrooms. Students in our program will understand the importance of reflection and planning for the various roles and responsibilities that await them as professional educators, teacher leaders, and advocates for student learning.

Well-Being

Teachers respect the ways that physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being may contribute to a balanced life. Students in our program understand the need to manage time so that it includes self-care so that the demands of the profession are met with integrity and success.